Drug dealer sentenced

Career criminal receives 10-year prison term for cocaine pipeline role

Published 6:54 pm, Wednesday, February 20, 2013

A career criminal from Schenectady described as a "wholly dangerous menace" was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a New York City-to-Capital Region narcotics pipeline.

Jubbar Singleton, 41, known as "Ja," also received eight years of supervised release at his appearance before U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd in Utica.

Singleton was among 44 defendants charged in May 2011 in a case targeting cocaine and heroin dealers and members of the Schenectady-based Four Block street gang.

Singleton pleaded guilty in September to conspiring to sell at least 500 grams of cocaine in 2010 and 2011.

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Federal prosecutors in Albany said Singleton obtained and sold cocaine and heroin in his most recent case, which was aimed at drug dealers who picked up narcotics in New York City and sold them in Schenectady and Albany.

The prosecutors minced few words in requesting a harsh sentence for Singleton. In a presentencing memo to the judge, they said Singleton's rap sheet includes six felony convictions, two misdemeanor convictions and a youthful offender adjudication for attempted robbery dating to 1988.

"This criminal history is nothing less than grotesque," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sharpe. "There is nothing in this history to suggest he is capable of being rehabilitated or being a productive law-abiding member of society. To the contrary, he is a wholly dangerous menace."

Singleton's attorney, Kimberly Zimmer, told the judge in a presentencing memo that her client, a married father of three daughters, grew up in poverty without proper role models and began abusing alcohol — and breaking the law — as a midteen. She argued that he has taken steps to improve his life.

She described her client as a "loyal, reliable, respectful and considerate person."

Singleton asked to be sent to a prison as close to Albany as possible.